Welcome to Home School Enrichment and HSE Magazine!
Published from 2003 to early 2017, Home School Enrichment Magazine's purpose was to encourage and uplift homeschooling families in their God-given journey of raising up the next generation. Although the magazine is no longer in print, we hope the massive archives of articles and complete issues that remain available on this website will continue to be a blessing to all who pass this way.
Thanks for reading. God bless you, and as always, happy homeschooling!
No One Else Named Mom
She looked directly at me, talking intently. I felt increasingly uncomfortable and distracted. The baby in her arms was fussing loudly and batting at her face. She deftly darted her head around to miss the most direct slaps from his tiny hand and talked on. Her 3-year-old was pulling on her skirt and calling to… ReadBy Kari Lewis
Choosing to Focus on the Blessings
Thoughts for Mothers Day
Sunday, May 8, 2016. Mother’s Day. This is the morning moms are supposed to wake up to a scrumptious breakfast, beautiful flowers, meaningful cards, gifts, and a day full of special times. Husbands and kids overflow with gratefulness and appreciation for Mom’s loving, selfless care.…
ReadBy Kari Lewis
Is One Generation Enough?
Have you ever made a really special meal? You searched and searched for just the right recipes and tried some out ahead of time. You made sure to buy fresh, quality ingredients. A few days before the dinner you began some early preparations. Finally, on the day of the dinner you spent hours working in the… ReadBy Kari Lewis
No Fear of the Future
How to homeschool with confidence.
Drawing this series to a close has been a great time of reflection for me. For this magazine’s past ten Beginning Homeschooling columns, I’ve tried to address the fears and reservations that are common to new homeschoolers. I’ve thought back to the late 1990s, when my husband and I…
ReadBy Melanie Hexter
Why It Matters
Every year, millions of children are enrolled in public schools across America. Millions of others are sent to private schools of every size and type. And about two million others are kept at home to learn and grow under the guidance of some of the most dedicated parents in the land. We’ve seen phenomenal, sustained… ReadBy Jonathan Lewis
Kinda. Sorta. Most of the Time…
Sometimes my feelings of self-worth don’t line up with what I believe.
Have you ever just been going along in life, minding your own business, when something happens that takes you off guard—and your own reaction surprises you? It’s happened to me. Recently, in fact. I met a young career woman who found out…
ReadBy Kari Lewis
Will It Be Enough?
I’m an imperfect parent.
Our children’s foray into formal education began in the public school system. We believed the lies that said the “experts” could do a better job of educating and preparing our kids for life. And we bought into the whole “what will they do for socialization?” mess. Hence, public school seemed like…
ReadBy Kari Lewis
The Pencil Wars
How arguments over pencils showed me where the true battle lies.
Every fall we buy new pencils. We divvy them out evenly among all the children. Some of my kids even go to the trouble of labeling them with colored duct tape or a permanent marker. Invariably, however, the battles begin. “Where are my pencils?” “So-and-so took…
ReadBy Amy Myers
Stretched Thin
Dear Mother of Young Ones, I’ve heard you and your husband have been blessed with several children: one who is now school-age, a toddler, and a newborn baby. Your fears concerning how to teach the oldest at home while juggling the baby’s needs and keeping the toddler entertained and safe are legitimate. I’ve walked… ReadBy Melanie Hexter
Five Ways Homeschooling Changed My Life
Even as an adult with a bachelor’s degree and a steady job, I still rave about my homeschool experience. I consider it a tremendous blessing. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them… ReadBy Felicia Erika
Education: The Bible Has More To Say Than You Think
A central question for the Christian when discussing any subject should be, “What does the Bible say about this?” Scripture is clear that some matters are left to individual preference or conscience. But where the Bible speaks clearly, we are to heed its commands and… ReadBy Jonathan Lewis
Should Homeschoolers Go to College?
The pros and cons of college are many, and the debate over higher education has been vigorous inside the homeschool community. How do we sift through it all and arrive at some answers?
A generation ago, educational paths were predictable: students graduated with a high school diploma, then attended a…
ReadBy Lea Ann Garfias and Jonathan Lewis and
Make Your Own “Rockets”!
In this article, we’re going to learn how to build a simple “matchstick rocket” right at home! If you already know how rockets work, you can skip the next two paragraphs and get right to the project. Otherwise, read on to learn the basic principles behind the rockets we’ll build. To begin with, a rocket is… ReadBy Matthew Lewis
War and Peace
It has been said that a classic is a book everyone would like to have read but no one really wants to read. Take Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, for example. I confess I’ve never read it, and I probably never will. It’s one of the longest novels ever written, and it’s quite a feat to make it through. Sure, it would be… ReadBy Kari Lewis
Are We Real…Or Really Real?
We’ve all heard the rosy stories of homeschooling moms who love their children, love homeschooling, love their husbands, love to cook and sew—they just love, love, love! Life looks like one big happy Sunday school picnic. They are all smiles. They are fulfilled. They have it all together. They have all… ReadBy Kari Lewis
An Open Letter to My Homeschooled Children
We’re taking the path less traveled. Here’s why.
Dear Children,
I wanted to take a moment to write to you on the topic of homeschooling and explain why your mother and I chose this educational path for you. My mother began homeschooling me in the late 1970s, before homeschooling was even legal. It…
ReadBy Israel Wayne
Can I Go to a Real School?
When my daughter no longer wanted to be homeschooled, I was devastated - but that wasn’t the end of the journey.
My teenaged daughter pulled a folded paper from her pocket and handed it to me. I opened it and began reading the typed words that filled most of the page. It wasn’t homework. It was a letter that…
ReadBy Kathy Pomaville Pate